Monday, May 13, 2013

anticipation for kabbalas haTorah

The Zohar’s (VaYikra 97b) writes that one of the goals of
Shavuos night is “l’natra dachya ila’ah d’mati aleh b’hahu ley’lya.”The word “l’natra” is the equivalent of the
Hebrew word “lishmor,” but, says the Shem m’Shmuel, don’t think it means “to
guard” in a passive sense, like a shomer takes care of an item entrusted to his
care.Rather, it should be understood in the same sense the Torah uses the word when describing Ya’akov’s reaction to Yosef’s dreams: “v’Aviv
shamar as ha’davar,” i.e. he waited with eager anticipation.Contrary to popular behavior, Shavuos night is
not about downing enough coffee and cake to be “yotzei” staying up all night so
that one re-experiences mattan Torah with a full belly, albeit a somewhat fuzzy
mind.The korban Pesach is ne’echal al
ha’sova, but I don’t think the same din applies to mattan Torah.It's all about anticipation
and enthusiasm.

The Sm”S writes that this idea helps answer a question
raised by his father, the Sochotchover.The
Sochotchover assumed that there is no din of simchas Yom Tov on the night a Yom
Tov starts because simcha is elicited by the performance of the mitzvos
of the chag.It’s only after Pesach has
started that we can eat matzah; it’s only after Sukkos has started that we can eat
in the sukkah -- the simcha kicks in the next day, after we have had a chance
to do the mitzvos.But what about on
Shavuos – there are no mitzvos to do; nothing is missing when Yom Tov starts,
so why does the din of simcha not apply immediately?Shem m’Shmuel answers that there is something we need to do: “l’natra
dachya ila’ah” is an active, eager waiting, not a passive lack of activity.

If you
want to see the difference then take note on your way to work as you pass by
kids waiting at their bus stop for the schoolbus to arrive on a spring day.The kids will be joking with each other,
talking, eating, etc.; in short, they will be doing anything and everything
short of looking down the road to see if the bus is close.As far as they are concerned, the further away
the bus is the better! Now take a look at adults waiting by the bus stop or
subway stop on their way to work.Their
necks crane every 30 seconds as they peer anxiously down the road or down the
track to see when the next bus or train is coming, they tap their feet and
shuffle around anxiously, they listen to every traffic report or announcement
with trepidation lest there be some unanticipated delay.That’s the “natra” the Zohar is
talking about.

The Maharal writes on the pasuk “U’Moshe alah el ha’Elokim
va’yikra eilav Hashem min ha’har leimor…” that Moshe had to make the first move
and ascend the mountain before Hashem came down to speak with him. Kabbalas haTorah starts by our demonstrating the desire to receive Torah; one cannot wait passively for it to drop in one’s
lap.